Systems and Methods of Storing and Retrieving Retail Store Product Inventory

1. A retail inventory storage and retrieval system, comprising: a rack system positioned in a retail facility comprising a plurality of racks; a plurality of access passages; a control circuit; a plurality of unmanned vehicles in wireless communication with the control circuit, wherein each of the plurality of unmanned vehicles comprises a tote retrieval system, and are configured to travel through the rack system; and a plurality of access stations each physically cooperated with at least one of the plurality of access passages, and each is accessible by an individual in retrieving requested products; and wherein each rack of the plurality of racks comprises a plurality of storage locations that are each configured to receive at least one of a plurality of reusable storage totes configured to receive and temporarily store at least one product; wherein the control circuit is configured to receive a first request for a first product, identify a first access station of the plurality of access stations to which the first product is to be routed, communicate to a first unmanned vehicle, of the plurality of unmanned vehicles, directing the first unmanned vehicle to retrieve a first tote, of the plurality of reusable storage totes, containing the first product and transport the first tote through at least one of the plurality of access passages to the first access station; and wherein each of the plurality of access stations comprises at least one access door movably positioned to prevent and allow access to at least a portion of a product retrieval opening within the respective access station that aligns with a respective one of the plurality of reusable storage totes when positioned within the respective access station.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first tote comprises multiple compartments that are each configured to receive at one or more products; wherein each of the plurality of access stations comprises an access system comprising an access system controller and the at least one access door; and wherein the access system controller is configured to obtain an identifier of a first compartment, of the multiple compartments of the first tote, to which a requesting individual is to be granted access, and controls the at least one access door to align with at least one compartment, comprising the first compartment, in response to instructions from the control circuit while simultaneously preventing access to one or more other compartments of the multiple compartments of the first tote.

3. A retail inventory storage and retrieval system, comprising: a rack system positioned in a retail facility comprising a plurality of racks; a plurality of access passages; a control circuit; a plurality of unmanned vehicles in wireless communication with the control circuit, wherein each of the plurality of unmanned vehicles comprises a tote retrieval system, and are configured to travel through the rack system; a plurality of access stations each physically cooperated with at least one of the plurality of access passages, and each is accessible by an individual in retrieving requested products; and wherein each rack of the plurality of racks comprises a plurality of storage locations that are each configured to receive at least one of a plurality of reusable storage totes configured to receive and temporarily store at least one product; wherein the control circuit is configured to receive a request for a first product, identify a first access station of the plurality of access stations to which the first product is to be routed, communicate to a first unmanned vehicle, of the plurality of unmanned vehicles, directing the first unmanned vehicle to retrieve a first tote, of the plurality of reusable storage totes, containing the first product and transport the first tote through at least one of the plurality of access passages to the first access station; and wherein the control circuit is configured to direct the first unmanned vehicle to a first access passage of the plurality of access passages that links the first access station with least some of the plurality of racks, of the rack system, that are secured above a dropdown ceiling.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a first access passage of the plurality of access passages comprising: a first length extending from the rack system to a subterranean passage positioned below at least a portion of the retail facility; and a second length extending between the first length of the first access passage along the subterranean passage to the first access station located at an exterior of the retail facility.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a transport support system with which the plurality of unmanned vehicles cooperate to travel through the rack system; wherein the plurality of storage locations are arranged vertically and horizontally along the plurality of racks of the rack system, and the transport support system extends vertically and horizontally along the plurality of storage locations enabling the plurality of unmanned vehicles to move vertically and horizontally to access any one of the plurality of storage locations.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a first temperature zone comprising a first portion of the rack system; a first temperature control system cooperated with the first temperature zone, wherein the first temperature control system maintains a temperature within the first temperature zone within a first temperature threshold of a first temperature; a second temperature zone comprising a second portion of the rack system, wherein the second temperature zone is separated from the first temperature zone; a second temperature control system cooperated with the second temperature zone, wherein the second temperature control system maintains a temperature within the second temperature zone within a second temperature threshold of a second temperature, which is different than the first temperature; and a first access passage of the plurality of access passages extending between the first temperature zone and the first access station.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of access stations comprises a user interface communicatively coupled with the control circuit and configured to enable different users at different ones of the plurality of access stations to submit a respective request; and wherein the control circuit is configured to direct, in response to the respective requests, different unmanned vehicles of the plurality of unmanned vehicles to respective storage locations to respectively retrieve a respective reusable storage tote of the plurality of reusable storage totes storing at least one products corresponding to the request, and direct the respective unmanned vehicles to transport the retrieved respective reusable storage totes to a corresponding one of the access stations from which the respective request is received.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a conveyor system that moves multiple totes of the plurality of reusable storage totes to a loading position to receive and temporarily store one or more products delivered to the retail facility, and the control circuit is configured to direct a set of multiple unmanned vehicles of the plurality of unmanned vehicles to retrieve a respective one of the multiple totes and transport the respective one of the multiple totes to an assigned, different storage location of the plurality of storage locations.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of access passages comprises a plurality of storing access passages configured to enable multiple different unmanned vehicles to simultaneously move multiple reusable storage totes, of the plurality of reusable storage totes, to a respective one of the plurality of storage locations of the rack system; and the control circuit receives, for each of the multiple reusable storage totes, an identifier of a product placed into the respective reusable storage tote, and a storage location identifier of a respective storage location the respective reusable storage tote is placed.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein a first access station comprises a user interface communicatively coupled with the control circuit and configured to enable a user to notify the control circuit of a return product; and wherein the control circuit is configured to direct a second unmanned vehicle to transport a second reusable storage tote of the plurality of reusable storage totes to the first access station, receive an identifier of the return product, and directs the second unmanned vehicle to transport the second reusable storage tote to a first storage location of the plurality of storage locations.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit, in response to a request, is configured to direct a set of two or more of the plurality of unmanned vehicles, each transporting one of the plurality of reusable storage totes, to be queued relative to a specified access station of the plurality of access stations in preparation for products to be retrieved at the specified access station.

12. A method of storing and retrieving products at a retail facility, comprising: receiving, at a control circuit, a request for a first product stored and available a retail facility; obtaining a storage location identifier of a first storage location within a first rack of a plurality of racks each comprising a plurality of storage locations each configured to receive at least one of a plurality of reusable storage totes, wherein each of the plurality of reusable storage totes is configured to receive and temporarily store at least one product; identifying a first unmanned vehicle of a plurality of unmanned vehicles that move through the retail facility; directing the first unmanned vehicle to the first storage location to retrieve a first reusable storage tote of the plurality of reusable storage totes; receiving a confirmation that the first unmanned vehicle retrieved the first reusable storage tote; identifying a first access station, of a plurality of access stations at the retail facility, to which the first product is to be routed; directing the first unmanned vehicle to utilize a first access passage, of a plurality of access passages at the retail facility, and transport the first reusable storage tote to the first access station and causing the first unmanned vehicle to transport the first reusable storage tote to the first access passage that physically cooperates with the first access station, wherein each of the plurality of access passages cooperates the plurality of racks with at least one of the plurality of access stations; identifying the first product is stored within a first compartment of multiple compartments of the first reusable storage tote, wherein each of the multiple compartments, of the first reusable storage tote, is configured to receive one or more products; controlling at least one access door of the first access station to align with at least the first compartment enabling access to the first compartment while simultaneously preventing access to a remainder of the multiple compartments of the first reusable storage tote.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising: maintaining a first temperature zone, comprising a first set of racks of the plurality of racks, within a first temperature threshold of a first temperature; maintaining a second temperature zone, comprising a second set of racks of the plurality of racks, within a second temperature threshold of a second temperature that is different than the first temperature, wherein the second temperature zone is separated from the first temperature zone; directing the first unmanned vehicle to access the first access passage of the plurality of access passages extending between the first temperature zone and the first access station.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving the request comprises receiving the request through a user interface of the first access station.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising: controlling a conveyor system moving multiple reusable storage totes of the plurality of reusable storage totes to a loading station to receive and temporarily store one or more received products delivered to the retail facility and to be temporarily maintained in the plurality of racks; directing a set of multiple unmanned vehicles of the plurality of unmanned vehicles to retrieve a respective one of the multiple reusable storage totes; and directing each of the set of multiple unmanned vehicles to transport the respective one of the multiple reusable storage totes to a corresponding assigned, different storage location of the plurality of storage locations.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising: queuing a set of reusable storage totes of the plurality of reusable storage totes to receive products delivered to the retail facility; directing a set of unmanned vehicles, of the plurality of unmanned vehicles, to each transport a respective one of the set of reusable storage totes to the plurality of racks; and receiving, for each reusable storage tote of the set of reusable storage totes, an identifier of a product placed into the respective reusable storage tote, and a storage location identifier of a respective storage location the respective reusable storage tote is placed within the plurality of racks.

17. A method of storing and retrieving products at a retail facility, comprising: receiving, at a control circuit, a request for a first product stored and available a retail facility; obtaining a storage location identifier of a first storage location within a first rack of a plurality of racks each comprising a plurality of storage locations each configured to receive at least one of a plurality of reusable storage totes, wherein each of the plurality of reusable storage totes is configured to receive and temporarily store at least one product; identifying a first unmanned vehicle of a plurality of unmanned vehicles that move through the retail facility; directing the first unmanned vehicle to the first storage location to retrieve a first reusable storage tote of the plurality of reusable storage totes; receiving a confirmation that the first unmanned vehicle retrieved a first reusable storage tote; identifying a first access station, of a plurality of access stations at the retail facility, to which the first product is to be routed; directing the first unmanned vehicle to utilize a first access passage, of a plurality of access passages at the retail facility, and transport the first reusable storage tote to the first access station and causing the first unmanned vehicle to transport the first reusable storage tote to the first access passage that physically cooperates with the first access station, wherein each of the plurality of access passages cooperates the plurality of racks with at least one of the plurality of access stations; receiving, through a user interface of a second access station, a notification of a return product; directing a second unmanned vehicle, of the plurality of unmanned vehicles, to transport a second reusable storage tote, of the plurality of reusable storage totes, to the second access station; receiving an identifier of the return product; identifying second storage location into which the second reusable storage tote is to be placed while the second reusable storage tote stores the return product; and directing the second unmanned vehicle to transport the second reusable storage tote to the second storage location.